Police pursuit after cruiser is rammed ends in three-vehicle crash in west Phoenix, injuring several
What happened
A police pursuit in Phoenix on Saturday evening ended with a multi-vehicle collision in the city’s west side, sending several people — including children — to the hospital and leaving investigators working to piece together the sequence of events.
Police said officers were handling an unrelated call near the intersection of 35th and Southern avenues shortly before 6 p.m. when another vehicle struck a marked police cruiser on its side. The driver did not stop, and officers began pursuing the vehicle.
Crash location and injuries
The pursuit concluded near 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, where the fleeing vehicle collided with three other vehicles in the intersection, police said.
Authorities reported that “several” people were transported to hospitals following the crash, including two children. The extent of their injuries and the number of patients taken for treatment were not immediately clarified.
The driver of the pursued vehicle — described by police as a woman — was hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police said officers were not injured in the initial impact involving the cruiser.
What is known — and what is not
Investigators had not released the woman’s identity as of Sunday, and it remained unclear whether the incident is expected to result in criminal charges. Police also had not publicly identified the drivers or passengers in the other vehicles involved, nor provided details on whether any of them suffered serious injuries.
Authorities said both the initial collision involving the police cruiser and the subsequent multi-vehicle crash remain under investigation. Key facts that have not been publicly detailed include the reason the vehicle struck the cruiser, how far the pursuit traveled, and whether factors such as impairment or speed played a role.
Timeline at a glance
Just before 6 p.m., Saturday: A vehicle strikes the side of a police cruiser near 35th and Southern avenues, police said.
Moments later: Officers pursue the vehicle after it fails to stop.
Later that evening: The vehicle crashes into three other vehicles near 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.
Police said several people, including children, were transported to hospitals after the west Phoenix collision, and that no officers were injured.
Ongoing investigation
Police have not released information about potential citations, arrests, or the condition of those hospitalized. The investigation is expected to focus on the circumstances leading to the initial impact with the police vehicle, the actions taken during the pursuit, and the chain of events that resulted in the multi-car crash at the west Phoenix intersection.